In early 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump's administration began efforts to reshape the federal government and lay off thousands of federal workers, leading to public concern about his plans for Social Security, the monthly federal income program for retirees, people with disabilities and those with a deceased spouse or parent.
Trump reportedly cut about 7,000 jobs from the Social Security Administration and claimed during a March 4 address to Congress that his administration found "shocking levels of incompetence and probable fraud." His adviser Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, has publicly criticized the program, calling it the "biggest Ponzi scheme of all time."
Meanwhile, various rumors have spread about the federal payment program, including claims about alleged fraud and different lawmakers' purported plans. Here are 10 of our most notable fact-checks about Social Security.
